Mohammed Ben Sulayem is seeking a second term as FIA president, despite the strong criticism of his leadership style and the sometimes harsh accusations. He remains completely unfazed, he says. “My relationship with Max Verstappen is as good as with all other drivers.”
You are regularly criticized, including by the F1 drivers who say they want to be heard better and more often by the FIA.
“I have sat down with them. And also with WRC and other drivers. They all have my phone number. They speak with me and I speak with them. But if we are going to talk about the ban on swearing on FIA channels, believe me, I will always stick to that. I was once a driver myself, but I never swore. We just have to control ourselves, the drivers too. They are all intelligent people, ambassadors of our sport. In fact, they are the future of our sport.”
‘Max is Hungry and Smart’
“For me personally, Muhammad Ali was the greatest sportsman in the world. I never heard him swear. And back to motorsport, I also never heard Lewis Hamilton swear, with any of his teams. We have now amended paragraph B of the International Sport Code to soften the sanctions against swearing. So, we have indeed listened to the drivers. At the same time, we also act in the general interest and the interest of the FIA.”
You have spoken with Max Verstappen quite often. Even on the grid sometimes. How would you describe your relationship?
“As good as with all other drivers. Max is a great champion, a young champion too. So, he is hungry, smart, and he really wants to win. The same goes for McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. And then there’s Charles Leclerc. They are all great drivers. And you see them maturing quickly. Fifteen years ago, you didn’t see so many young people on the grid. I remember signing Kimi Antonelli’s super license and seeing that he was 17. When you let that sink in, it’s actually incredible.”
